Oppose the Ban of Leaf Blowers in Maplewood, NJ Now!

On April 4th at 7:30, the Mayor and Township Committee of Maplewood, NJ are voting to adopt an Ordinance that completely bans the use of gas-powered leaf blowers by commercial entities from May 15th through September 30th. A total prohibition on the use of a crucial tool to do your landscaping will impact your landscaper’s ability to properly service your property. If passed, this Ordinance will result in your landscape contractors increasing the cost of their services because they will be forced to use means that are not only more time-consuming, but also less effective and less efficient, such as a rake and broom. The proposed Ordinance claims that the bases for the ban are alleged health and environmental hazards caused by gas-powered leaf blowers. However, during the exact same period that your landscaper is prohibited, the ban does not likewise prohibit any other non-commercial entity or resident from continuously operating gas-powered leaf blowers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and, by residents on Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Moreover, under this proposed Ordinance, a parent who, as part of their family chores, pays their son or daughter to use a gas-powered leaf blower to clean the driveway is subject to a $500 fine. Therefore, the discriminatory singling out of landscapers by this proposed Ordinance, as well as the absurd results it creates, bears no rational basis to its expressed intent. Consequently, the proposed Ordinance goes far beyond the issue of banning gas-powered leaf blowers, it infringes on the rights of all Maplewood residents and the commercial landscaping community that serves them.

Please sign the petition opposing the proposed Ordinance and join us on Tuesday, April 4th at 7:30 pm at the Maplewood Town Hall, 574 Valley Street, Maplewood, NJ to voice your opposition!